On a 4-to-1 vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors joined the state’s largest counties after approving Chair Terra Lawson-Remer’s proposal to create a Consumer Fairness and Public Protection (CFPP) unit to crack down on illegal practices like scams against seniors and veterans, junk fees, denied health insurance claims and predatory financial practices.  

“This is a major victory for working families, Seniors, veterans, small business owners and renters who have had their credit ratings destroyed, their retirement savings stolen, and their health diminished. No one is immune” said Board Chair Terra Lawson-Remer, who is also an economist. “This is about fair prices and fair treatment under the law.”  

The passage of the CFPP is a substantial move forward after the Trump Administration ripped apart the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the one federal agency dedicated to fighting against fraud. In California, cities with populations over 750,000 can have a consumer protection unit because of a  “cause of action” law passed by the state legislature in 2021. Los Angeles and Santa Clara Counties already have the units. San Diego was the only county of this size without one. 

The 20-person unit will operate within the County Counsel’s office and work on civil consumer cases.  The law grants county counsels and city attorneys with the same pre-litigation investigative tools as district attorneys, allowing them to subpoena records and other non-public information before filing a lawsuit under California’s Unfair Competition Law.  

“The laws to stop many of these fraudulent abuses already exist. What has been missing is the capacity to enforce them. State agencies focus on the largest cases statewide. Local prosecutors focus on more serious crime,” said Lawson-Remer. “Meanwhile, new scams and unfair business practices continue to evolve – and families are left to deal with the consequences. This new unit will step into that gap.”

The new unit will be launched using settlement funds the County has already secured from corporations that broke the law. It will eventually become self-sustaining when cases are won.

BACKGROUND:

 The CFPP unit will tackle key issues plaguing our region, including:

  • Cross-Border Environmental Accountability, Tijuana River Valley Pollution: U.S.-based industrial actors have contributed to toxic pollutants that worsen contamination in the Tijuana River Valley, harming regional public health and ecosystems. CFPP could pursue civil enforcement and injunctive relief against domestic polluters whose actions contribute to cross-border environmental damage.
  • Bad-Faith and Deceptive Coverage Practices: Health insurers increasingly deny, delay, or underpay legitimate claims using opaque processes and automated decision systems, straining hospitals and harming patients. CFPP could investigate deceptive network representations and unlawful claims practices that mislead consumers and destabilize care access.
  • Predatory Financial Practices and Debt Collection Scams: Abusive lending, hidden contract terms, and aggressive debt collection schemes drain wealth from working families, seniors, veterans, and young adults, while digital scams continue to evolve. CFPP could target repeat offenders, secure restitution, and deter emerging forms of consumer financial fraud.
  • PFAS and Toxic Chemical Contamination: PFAS manufacturers have been linked to widespread contamination of drinking water systems, creating long-term public health and cleanup costs. CFPP could coordinate with other jurisdictions to pursue civil actions that recover remediation costs and hold manufacturers financially accountable.
  • Housing and Tenant Protection Violations: Deceptive property management practices, unlawful eviction schemes, algorithmic rent-setting, and biased tenant screening tools are emerging threats to renters. CFPP could use existing consumer protection and unfair competition laws to pursue landlords and firms that violate tenants’ rights or engage in housing-related fraud.